GREATER GERMAN REICH

COMMAND FLAGS & PENNANTS OF THE HIGH COMMAND  •  1933-45

As Führer and Reich Chancellor—a position combining the powers of chancellor and president that he assumed after the death of President von Hindenburg in August 1934—Hitler was supreme commander of the armed forces, and his personal standard reflected this status. It displayed the Nazi swastika within a wreath, with the two versions of the Reichsadler (National Eagle) used by the Army and Navy. The standard was officially adopted in April 1935 and did not incorporate the Luftwaffe eagle, even though the creation of an air force was secretly ordered in February and publicly announced in March. The design of the standard was later incorporated into the standard of the Army's Führer Escort Battalion and those of the Leibstandarte, Hitler's SS bodyguard regiment. When Hitler promoted twelve general officers to the rank of field marshal in July 1940, Herman Göring, who already held that rank, was elevated to the unique rank of Reich Marshal, thus making him Germany's senior military officer. This new dignity, however, did not include actual powers of command over the Army and Navy, though Göring did remain in his position as commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe. His new rank came with a distinctive dove-gray uniform and a personal standard displaying the Reichsadler and crossed batons on the obverse, and the Iron Cross and Luftwaffe eagles on the reverse. Late in 1941 the initial standard was replaced by another, more elaborate, design. Up to 1938 the defense minister, later the war minister, was the functional commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Until 1935 the pre-Nazi design of standard remained in use. It was briefly replaced by a Nazified version, but finally a design based on the Reich War Flag was adopted. This standard was abolished in 1938 when Hitler dismissed the War Minister, General von Blomberg, and transformed the War Ministry into the High Command of the Armed Forces (OKW)—in effect, the Führer's personal military headquarters. Its chief was General Wilhelm Keitel, who was granted a distinctive pennant. Two versions existed, the second being introduced in 1940 when Keitel was made a field marshal. Military governors administered occupied territories under the control of the armed forces, and were broadly responsible for law and order and economic matters. They did not command troops. Armed forces commanders were appointed for occupied territories under civil administration and commanded all military forces in the territory. The standards for both of these positions were introduced in 1940. All these flags were abolished in 1945 when the armed forces were disbanded after Germany's surrender. Flag Proportions: Except for the pennants of the Chief of the OKW, high command flags were made square.